Moussaoui eligible for death penalty, jury says

April 04, 2006|By From news services.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A federal jury on Monday found Al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui eligible for execution, deciding that his lies to FBI agents led directly to at least one death in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The only person to face charges in this country in the nation's worst terrorist assault, Moussaoui now faces a second phase of his sentencing trial to determine if he actually will be put to death. That phase will begin Thursday morning.

Moussaoui sat in his chair and prayed silently as the verdict was read. He was asked to stand, but refused.

"You'll never get my blood, God curse you all," he said afterward.

The nine men and three women of the jury will hear testimony on whether the 37-year-old Frenchman, who was in jail at the time of the attack, deserves to be executed for his role.

The testimony will include families of 9/11 victims who will describe the human impact of the Al Qaeda mission that flew four jetliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

Court-appointed defense lawyers, whom Moussaoui has tried to reject, will summon experts to suggest he is schizophrenic.